


Increasingly Poor Decisions

by MissChaosMouse



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Adult Content, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/M, Sexual Content, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-04-15 06:34:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4596534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissChaosMouse/pseuds/MissChaosMouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at the seemingly innocuous moments in time between the Vault Hunter and the Hero, and how their decisions changed the direction of Pandora's future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Comprehensive Health Coverage

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings, Readers!
> 
> This is my first outing into the fanfic world for several years, but the Borderlands lore is just too tempting to keep me hidden away in the dark corners of the internet. 
> 
> Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated! I will try to keep this fic updated as my schedule allows. 
> 
> Also, if you do not like this particular pairing, please do not leave unfavorable comments. Everyone has their ship, and we all like to play in the wonderful sandbox we have been given. Be respectful. 
> 
> P.S.- The first chapter is mirrored from my Tumblr account, OnceUponAChaos. All future chapters will be posted here first, and then linked through Tumblr. (so as no one happens upon it and screams PLAGIARISM)

 

 

** Comprehensive Health Coverage **

 

There was an indescribable feeling welling inside the Siren as she watched her most recent vehicle burn up against the serene backdrop of Frostburn Canyon. Was it sadness? Not for the light runner itself; possibly for the situation she now found herself placed in by one act of kindness.

 

_Kindness_ was the wrong term.

 

_Stupidity_ was more accurate.

 

Stranded, with a fast approaching snowstorm on the horizon, and the nearest catch-a-ride too far to reach even if she sprinted the entire distance. Not that she hadn’t been in worse predicaments, but this was certainly not going on her list of things she wanted to repeat at any point in the future. In fact, she was entirely convinced this would never happen again, because she had even spoke the words aloud to the runty little bullymong beast that caused the wreck before she shot it three times in and about its face.

 

_Bang._

_“Never again.”_

_Bang, bang._

 

To be fair, the creature was only part of the reason her vehicle was now enthusiastically spitting flames in every direction; but it was enough to make her vow to nail every living thing she came across with her front bumper from this point onward. The majority of the blame lay on Maya’s own sense of… whatever it had been that made her swerve to avoid the little bastard. Her heart started bleeding all over the place when she saw the little thing trotting along in the snow, and she jerked the steering wheel sharper than necessary. The result was her landing tail up in a ditch.

 

This particular ditch, as though the universe itself was teaching her a lesson, wasn’t covered in enough snow to prevent the sketchy engine from jostling around and smoking up almost instantly. That would have been _too_ fortunate.

 

Maya managed to pull herself out of the driver’s seat before the flames started up, and plunked herself down in the snow to watch the thing burn. The real entertainment started when the flames hit the ammo cache; not quite fireworks, but fun enough to watch.

 

Rumbling snow clouds had her up and walking before too long, not wanting to be caught in the thick of it without finding shelter. Options were limited in this part of the canyon, and perhaps for good reason. This part of the landscape was not as – _civilized_ was pushing it, maybe _settled_ – as other parts of Pandora. The threat of snowstorms, probably.

 

Still, there was the hope of a cave she could clear out with a few corrosive rounds, but even that wouldn’t do her much good if her trigger finger was blackened with frostbite.

 

Pulling her backpack snug against her back like a makeshift coat, Maya trudged along in the snow, her concern for her well being rising from mild to substantial after too long of no success. She absolutely refused to freeze to death out in the god forsaken wasteland because of a damned bullymong. It wouldn’t make for a very good headstone quip for one, and two: because if Hyperion found out one of the fearsome Vault Hunters was felled by a nicety, they’d have the propaganda boost of the century.

 

“Vultures,” she hissed, glancing up at the gaudy _**H**_ hovering above the planet.

 

A large shadow in the distance caught her attention, and she double her efforts to investigate before the storm became too unmanageable. She could already feel the stinging cold winds whipping up against her exposed flesh, her teeth chattering hard enough to feel it in her skull. The shadow turned out to be a run-down building; an abandoned business by the looks of it, judging from the graffiti laden sign out front. The one word she could make out behind the colorful language was “ _SALOON_ ”, which elevated her mood considerably.

 

Saloon meant _bar_ ; bar meant the hopeful promise of _booze_.

 

If there had been a lock on the door, it was long gone by now, allowing the Siren easy access to the building. She pushed a battered table in front of the door once it was closed as a precaution should the winds get too strong. That or if someone – or _thing_ – decided to intrude on her claimed shelter.

 

Shaking the snow off her clothes and out of her hair, Maya made a quick pass around the empty space, keeping an eye out for squatters and the like. Deeming it safe, she ducked behind the bar to look for leftover bottles that may have been safe from looters.

 

Nothing. Rotting boxes and dust.

 

Unpacking the bulk of her weapons and gear and setting them behind the bar, she tried to get herself into a comfortable spot to wait out the storm. She had half a mind to try and get some much needed rest, considering she hadn’t slept a full night since arriving on Pandora. It if wasn’t the wild things keeping you on your toes, it was the bandits. Or the Raiders giving her an endless string on missions all labeled “TOP PRIORITY”. Or anything sporting a Hyperion logo.

  
Tucking her arms behind her head, Maya gave a long sigh, staring into the wood grain of the bar in attempts to make herself bored enough to fall asleep.

 

_“Hey, princess?”_

  
  
Maya snapped out of her reverie, staring at her ECHO device like it had sprouted teeth.

 

_“Part of me really wants you to not answer because you’ve, ya know, frozen to death. So just keep being quiet if you’re dead, okay?”_

 

The Siren flicked on the switch allowing her to reply, “Not so lucky.”

 

_“For fuck’s sake- I knew I shouldn’t have taken that bet – you just lost me twenty bucks. You fucking proud of yourself? Got me spending my goddamn money – we’re not even dating!”_

 

Maya chuckled at the anger in the familiar voice, “Very proud.”

 

For weeks, Handsome Jack – Mister Hyperion himself – had taken it upon himself to verbally harass the Siren over the ECHOnet whenever the mood struck him. Which, her point of view, was _disturbingly frequent_. It had started off harmless enough; the Hyperion executive encouraging the “bandit” scum to throw herself off the nearest cliff and give up the crusade against him. That or taunting her with his enormous bank account.

 

_That poor horse._

 

Maya, for the most part, had learned to tune out the incessant one-sided conversation, equating to white-noise on long journeys between missions. She only caught half of what he said anyway over the hailstorm of bullets and general carnage of firefights. Still, she found it astounding just how long he could ramble on about things. Endless, really.

 

Because of the fact he talked to her so often, she wasn’t surprised to hear him pipe up just when she was happily secluded in the middle of nowhere. What did surprise her was the death encouragements becoming less frequent; replaced by something more – not _sociable_ , maybe _agreeable_ \- in nature. Handsome Jack would still talk for hours on end, but he would start asking questions that prompted a verbal reply. It was weird.

 

_“Sooo… if you’re not a pretty little ice sculpture that I can decorate my loft with, why are you in a fucking blizzard?”_

 

Maya shrugged, knowing he couldn’t see it, “Trying not to die.”

 

_“You’re killing me with the short answers, kiddo. Loosen up! We’ve got this nice rapport going now, don’t we? Or are you too scared to talk with your bandit buddies listening? They got you scared? Strict on the fraternization? Do you need to talk to someone? I’ve got the company councilor…”_

 

There was a pause.

 

“They’re not here, Jack.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration.

 

_“Great! Uh, where’s ‘here’?”_

 

“A bar. Ex-bar. Frostburn Canyon somewhere.”

 

_“…oh my fucking god are you drinking alone? Are you? Describe it, pumpkin, I wanna feel the sadness radiating off of you.”_

 

“There’s no booze. I'm just sitting here _not_ in a blizzard.”

 

There was a peal of laughter from the other end.

 

_“So, so you’re admitting to me that you’re alone in a bar with no booze, no friends, stuck out there for god knows when? This is magical. For **me** , I mean. **You’re** just a fucking bundle of pathetic right now. Just… god, hold that thought, would you, baby?”_

 

There was a definitive clicking noise, meaning there was now radio silence between them. A merciful blessing if nothing else. Let him think what he wanted up there on Helios, she was content to be away from the bustle and general noise of Sanctuary. Maya settled back down, listening to the white noise of the snow outside, finally falling into a deep slumber.

 

_Pounding._

 

**Loud** , uneven pounding.

 

Maya woke with a start, feeling around for her pistol in the sudden darkness of the building. She must have been out for some time, she guessed, given it was still bright out when she arrived and now seemed closer to dusk. Once she found her firearm, she came out from around the bar proper, aiming directly at the door as she move toward it with caution.

 

The pounding sounded again, harder this time.

 

“Open the _fucking_ door! It’s goddamn freezing and I can feel my balls retracting into my body. _I’m not okay with that_.” A very familiar, very irritated voice shouted over the blizzard.

 

The Siren scooted the makeshift barricade away from the door, nearly ripping the thing off its hinges in her haste to see if **he** was really on the outside. Dressed in a comically over sized fur coat, caked in snow, was the face of Hyperion – in the flesh.

 

Handsome Jack didn’t seem bothered about the gun she had pointed at him, stepping across the threshold and closing the door before too much snow blew inside. He ignored Maya for the moment, going to a nearby window and gesturing wildly to someone outside.

 

Jack pulled out his ECHO device and spoke into it, “No, don’t follow me. Stay by the car – **the car** you worthless – I don’t give two shits if you die, just watch my fucking car.”

 

He shoved the device into his coat pocket, spinning on his heel to face Maya. The Siren shifted her weight back away from the tall – much taller than she thought – man, unsure of what do make of him appearing out of the storm.

  
Maybe she _was_ freezing to death out in the wastes, and this was some hallucinogenic hell before she finally delved into sweet oblivion. Why else would he be so casual about this?

 

Dying would explain it, but she was still very much alive.

 

Handsome Jack shrugged off his coat, tossing it somewhere behind the Vault Hunter, “I’d thought we’d gotten away from the hostility, pumpkin.”

 

It was strange hearing him speak without the tinny quality of an ECHO signal; though not nearly as strange occupying the same room as him. She’d seen the file photos and propaganda plastered over everything, but it wasn’t the same as a living, fleshy thing. He was mortal now. Three-dimensional.

  
  
_Imposing._

 

She thought previously that the “handsome” title was something ironic, but it wasn’t. At all. It was unnerving to know the most hated thing in the damned universe was just a good-looking man with greying hair and striking eyes.

 

_Mismatched_ , she corrected herself, _striking is a compliment. We do not pay Handsome Jack compliments._

 

The Siren was so ingrained in her own thoughts – having now fixated on the clasps that held his mask in place – that she failed to notice him reaching out to lower her gun away from his chest.

 

“It’s okay to be speechless, I have that effect on people,” He was smirking so much she thought his face might permanently kink that way.

 

Maya reacted by shoving him back with her free hand, “Fuck you.”

 

Little did Maya know, such a response was not appreciated by the Hyperion executive, and she had just enough time to see the expression on his face change to something infinitely cruel before her world spun. His large hands locked around her throat, dragging her around to switch their positions, and slamming her against the wall so hard it knocked some dust off the adjacent windowsill. The gun fell from Maya’s hand as she reached up to pry his long fingers off of her windpipe, but the effort was in vain.

 

Blackness crept into the edges of her vision, preventing her from concentrating enough to use her Siren power to escape Jack’s white-knuckled grip.

 

“Damn you’re so fucking _rude_. Here I made the trip all the way down here to see you, and you’re being a total bitch about it.” Handsome Jack hissed through his teeth, “No gratitude whatsoever. Fuck me, right?”

 

Maya’s hands dropped to her sides, her whole body suddenly feeling too heavy to keep upright. She was fighting a losing battle with consciousness, realizing what a fool she had been for letting him inside to begin with.

 

Of course he would try and kill her.

 

It’s what he’d wanted since the train ride.

 

Karma was paying her back for being too trusting; punishing her weakness for not pulling the trigger when she had the chance. She deserved this pain, this slow death.

 

Before she blacked out entirely, the hands at her throat loosened their hold, allowing a biting rush of air to fill her lungs. The Siren gasped heavily, her head throbbing as she regained her senses in one fell swoop. Handsome Jack patted her on the cheek – _affectionately_ – and his brow now furrowed in what appeared to her as concern.

 

He rubbed her neck softly with his other hand, “But I can’t blame your behavior just on you, can I, kiddo? It’s those damn bandits you shack up with. Classless, murdering bastards rubbing off on you. Fuckin’ _shame_.”

 

Maya slumped against the wall, wincing in pain as he aggravated her tender skin. She’d have bruises for days, no doubt, bleeding under every inch of her pale skin.

 

“… _could’ve killed me_ ,” it came out as cough more than anything; a test to see if he’d damage her vocal chords during the assault.

 

Jack laughed, turning around and half-heartedly leading her back to the bar by the back of her neck, “But I didn’t, my little bluebird.”

 

He sat her down on one of the remaining bar stools, taking the spot next to her and finally – was that _reluctance_ she felt – let her go. Maya eyed him warily, watching him stretch out his limbs in the very picture of relaxation. Frighteningly relaxed, considering what just happened.

 

The Siren thought better of questioning the choice of moniker, “Seemed like a good opportunity.”

 

The self-proclaimed Hero of Pandora pulled out a flask from the pocket of his jacket, offering it to her. When she declined, he took a deep swig and set it on the bar between them.

 

“Would’ve been impolite at the time; we’ve got business to discuss first,” He smiled at her, “Depending on how that goes, I might reconsider being a gentleman.”

 

She opened her mouth to make a snappy retort at his liberal use of the word “gentleman”, but shut it just as quickly. Maya had learned what happened when Jack thought someone was being rude, and she did not want a second demonstration. She did, however, reach over and pick up the flask, figuring it would help deaden the ache down her throat, and took a drink.

 

“What business, Jack?” She ran a hand through her short cropped hair.

 

Handsome Jack leaned over, looking around as if they were in danger of being overheard if he spoke too loud, “The opportunity of a fucking lifetime, cupcake. A chance to take advantage of my generous nature. Not many people get this offer. Actually, no one. No one but _you_. Just now.”

 

Maya gave a slow blink, “…and that would be?”

 

The man laughed, “I knew you’d be fuckin’ reasonable. They all told me, ‘ _oh Handsome Jack, not even you in all of your perfection could reason with bandits_ ’, but I told’em ‘ _I bet that bitchy blue Siren is reasonable_ ’. And here we are, with you being smart and rational. Can I pick’em or what?”

 

The Siren in question started to reply, but was overshadowed quickly.

 

“So, I’ve realized that we got off to a rocky start, which drove you into the arms of the bandits, but I want you to know I’ve come to make amends. To whisk you away to a life of luxury and majesty within my company. You get to come work for Hyperion again, baby… without me trying to blow your fucking brains out. And by Hyperion I mean **me**. Directly for **me**.” Handsome Jack pulled a dirty envelope out of his pocket, tossing it onto the table.

 

After taking a moment to process his prolific speech, Maya opened the envelope slowly. Stacks of bills looking oh-so-innocent and newly printed stared back at her; more money than she had seen in weeks of running missions for the Crimson Raiders. It’s what she had signed on for as a Vault Hunter, after all, the promise of fame and wealth to last several lifetimes. She looked up at Jack, feeling uncomfortable under the smile he cast in her direction.

 

“That’s per week, my little bluebird.” Jack gestured to the money.

 

“Considering I don’t know what the job is…” Maya let the part trail off, hoping it wasn’t the dozens of horrific scenarios flooding her mind.

 

“And here I thought you didn’t speak more than three words at a time,” He snorted, placing a hand over the money – her hand as well by proximity, “Bodyguard for yours truly. It’s a great gig, pumpkin, with benefits. Both professional and… _**personal**_ if things go well. Hyperion also offers competitive comprehensive health coverage.”

 

Maya frowned, “You have an endless robot army.”

 

Handsome Jack’s grip tightened considerably, “ _Yes_ … but I’d rather have something with a fucking _brain_ once in a while. Listen, if you’re not interested, just tell me.”

 

He moved to take the money away, but not before Maya’s other hand clamped over his wrist. The pair stared at each other; the ever-present tension between them escalating in a matter of seconds. It was a risky move on her part, knowing how easily he had her nearly down for the count before they agreed to be civil. After a few moments, Jack’s smile returned, something brightening considerably behind those mismatched eyes.

 

“Two days,” Maya was the first to speak, “I’ll give an answer.”

 

The Siren released his arm, and Jack pushed the money towards her.

 

“Consider this a down payment on a positive response,” He took the forgotten flask and tucked it away back into his pocket, “Don’t call on ECHO, I want the answer in person. All official, princess.”

 

“Meeting here?” Maya gestured to the empty space around them.

 

Jack shook his head, “Nah, I'm burning this eyesore to the ground once we’re done here. Better to be in a place where all good business deals get their start.”

 

The Siren tilted her head in confusion, earning a laugh from the executive.

 

“Opportunity, my little bluebird.”


	2. It's the Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good help is so hard to find these days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to take a moment to tell you all how truly overwhelmed I am at all the positive comments I've received on this story!
> 
> Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, but you all have just been so wonderful and welcoming. It's really just amazing! 
> 
> As always, feedback and suggestions are appreciated! 
> 
> Thank you all, and happy reading!
> 
> -Chaos

 

** It's the Little Things **

 

Two days.

 

It had been two days since he made his business proposal to the Siren. Two days nursing a minor head-cold picked up from being in the middle of the frozen wastes. Two days uncomfortably staying in his office in Opportunity, rather than being secluded away in the familiar quiet of space. Two days of waiting to see if his carefully constructed plan would end up working in his favor.

 

Two.

Fucking.

_Days_.

 

Handsome Jack was a patient made when he wanted to be; when things were important enough to let out of his control long enough to work themselves out. In all honesty, the trait of “instant gratification or death” could get tiring to keep up with on a daily basis, regardless of the kick he got out of watching his employees scrabble around each other trying to please him. Even better when he fired off a few rounds at them. _Motivation_.

 

Because really, if you couldn’t survive a few bullet holes to the back, you had no business being on Hyperion’s staff.

 

That, and it was one less person to account for in the insurance plan. Win-win.

 

Jack stared idly out through the large picture-window what made up most of the wall behind his desk, not really paying attention to anything down below in the city proper. It was quiet today, save for the normal ambiance of construction on the outskirts, or the endless loop of Jack’s personal brand of company propaganda blaring out into every corner of the streets.

 

The window itself was new, having custom ordered it after a particularly sunshine filled day on Pandora. The normally clear glass was converted into a two-way mirror, allowing the executive to see out, but the people below would never know when he was on the planet’s surface or up on Helios. If they did have the misfortune to look up to the office, they would be rewarded with a blaring reflection of Pandora’s sun burning into their eyes.

 

He would catch them every so often: the ones who bothered to look up. They would drop whatever they were carrying and shield their eyes in haste; it was a punishment he didn’t have to personally dish out.

 

Saves time.

 

The Hyperion executive spun around in his chair, drumming his fingers on the polished, flat surface of his desk in irritation. The minutes were ticking by, and still no sign of Maya. Had she gotten lost? No, there were plenty of ways to get to Opportunity, and none of signage was particularly subtle. Set upon by a vicious pack of roaming skags? Unlikely.

 

Handsome Jack chewed on the pad of his thumb, brows creased in thought. Was it possible that she had let slip to bandits about their little arrangement? It would explain her absence, seeing as they had done all they could to keep her all to themselves like the _selfish_ _bastards_ that they were. They could have been holding her prisoner somewhere, preventing her from being by his side where she **belonged**.

 

As if he didn’t have enough reasons to murder every single piece of bandit filth on Pandora.

 

“No fucking way,” he spoke aloud to the empty office. “She’s not that careless.”

 

It was entirely possible she was having a tough go at making the right decision, and why wouldn’t she after all the lies she’d been told about Hyperion and himself?

 

Plus the whole _train_ debacle. That _did_ put a hitch in things.

 

Jack was confident he’d see the Siren’s pretty little face pop up on the security feed soon enough; it was only right considering the time and effort he had already invested in the little blue minx. No doubt she’d look as dour as always, something he intended to fix as soon as he could. They weren’t going to have a happy-skippy relationship if she didn’t lighten the fuck up once in a while.

 

He wasn’t going to let all his plans fall apart because of her _feelings_.

 

Or _lack thereof_.

 

Maya had been much more talkative on her ECHOlogs, something he intensely desired during their conversations over the ‘net. She had a bit of mouth on her, a biting minimalism that reminded him of a wild animal more so than a human.

 

Then again, she wasn’t entirely human. _Technically_.

 

Handsome Jack’s keen interest in the Siren started from the moment Angel brought her up as a potential Vault Hunter. A practically blank slate shoved into the real world by her own sense of independence, and yet she hadn’t actually achieved that lofty goal simply by leaving home. She had been moved from the Cult, to the Vault Hunters, to the Raiders all in a very short time frame.

 

In a sense, she’d never left the group despite her wanderlust to be out on her own.

 

Every nuance of her past through the ECHOlogs was thoroughly examined by Jack. Every minute detail he could gather was put together to form his plan to gain her as ally, and not another thorn in his side. He’d taken a gamble by putting her on that train, hoping she’d survive the encounter; knowing that if she _did_ , it was only a matter of time before the bandits saw the advantage in having Siren in their ranks.

 

He’d **wanted** on her to fall in with them.

 

After all, she needed to experience life outside of Hyperion’s perfection in order to truly appreciate what it could offer her.

 

All _**he** _ had to offer.

It was one thing to get her on the payroll; any idiot with a functioning brain could be motivated with the promise of wealth. A few thousand waved in her face was just a start. Chump change.

 

What he really wanted, innuendo notwithstanding, was to offer _himself_.

 

Not just the “Handsome Jack” vision of a better Pandora; the whole package. Absolute understanding of his goals.

 

Unwavering loyalty.

 

Someone who would never _betray_ him.

 

It didn’t hurt that she was a _goddamn Siren_ either.

 

A small viewing screen flickered to life from the projector embedded in his desk, showing the image of Maya darting around the alleyways of Opportunity. The grin that broke out on Jack’s face was frightening blend of relief and excitement that bordered on predatory.

 

“About time you showed up, cupcake.” Handsome Jack watched the screen with rapt attention.

 

She was doing well not to get caught from what he could tell; no alarms had been triggered, and no surveyor drones buzzed around. She was smart to keep to the darkened spaces of the city, no doubt motivated by the fact her bright shock of cerulean hair would garner unwanted attention. By all accounts she would have made it all the way to the doors of his building…

 

…until that sniper caught her right in the leg as she sprinted for the entrance.

 

So close.

 

The Siren stumbled forward, unable to keep her balance and went down hard, catching her head on the edge on of the decorative planters that lined the walkways. Handsome Jack watched the now prone woman be surrounded by no less than a dozen of his soldiers, each not wanting to get too close for fear of retaliation. Not wanting his prize riddled with bullets, Jack flipped on the intercom connected to the city’s speaker system.

 

“Hey!” He barked into the microphone.

 

All at once, the soldiers looked up toward the source of the noise, and were subsequently flashed by the brightness of the reflective window. The executive howled with laughter that rang into every corner of the city. He doubled over in his chair, clutching the desk for support as he replayed the scene over and over in his head. Oh, that bit of footage was going into his personal collection, do doubt on that.

 

He couldn’t have paid for a better reaction.

 

“Oh-okay… whew, that was… _fuck me_ that was golden,” he tried to compose himself, taking deep breaths, “Listen… just bring the Siren to my office. Alive. Undamaged. Well, no extra damage. I’ll **know**.”

 

It was about ten minutes later when the door to his office opened – seven minutes too long in his opinion – revealing the small contingent of soldiers he’d seen on the monitor. Two of them were dragging the still unconscious Maya, her hands now bound behind her back, and dropped her unceremoniously on the marble floor in front of the desk. They stood at attention in front of their unquestioned leader, chests puffed out in an obviously proud-of-their-accomplishment stance.

 

Slowly, Handsome Jack rose from his chair, leaning over the desk to take in the whole scene before him. The large bump on her temple looked black and blue already, swelling the side of her face near her eye socket. The bullet wound on her leg was seeping slowly through the fabric of her pants, soaking all the way down to her boot. Those were all injuries he had seen happen.

 

What he hadn’t seen happen were the angry, red welts on her wrists on the edge of the rope that bound her.

 

Those were _new_.

 

“Who tied her up?” Jack asked, moving around the desk as smooth as a snake, each step pronounced on the marble floor.

 

The men all looked at each other, parting themselves to single out the one in question. The pride they once shared was drained from them once they heard the tone of their boss’ voice; the slow, quiet way he asked the ostensibly simple question.

 

One man stepped forward, “I did, sir.”

 

Handsome Jack glanced down at the man’s name tag, “You made that call, did’ja, Martin?”

 

The other men fell eerily silent, knowing that being singled out by Jack was **not** a good thing.

 

Martin’s previous confidence was shattered in an instant, “I… she could have woken up. Use that weird magic stuff on us.”

 

“Weird magic stuff, kiddo?” The executive placed a hand on his hip, subtly moving his jacket aside in the process.

 

“Well, you know,” the soldier looked to his fellows for help, and none of them dared to speak, “the glowing hand thing.”

 

Jack started laughing, but it didn’t ease the tension in the room by a long-shot, “Oh yeah! Why didn’t you lead with that? Would’ve saved a lot of fuckin’ time, cupcake. Ah, glowing hand thing. Priceless.”

 

Still laughing, Handsome Jack pulled out his pistol from the holster on his hip, firing off a shot into Martin’s kneecap. The man went down instantly, screeching incoherent apologies at the top of his lungs while the others looked down in a mix of horror and sympathy. The executive set his gun down on the table, swooping down in one smooth motion to crouch next to Martin.

 

“You are not **allowed** to make choices. I make the _fucking_ calls around here, unless you somehow sucked enough dicks to get promoted and I didn’t know about it.” Jack grabbed the back of the other man’s head, forcing him to look at the bindings on Maya’s wrists. “I said I wanted her undamaged. Does _this_ look undamaged, Martin?”

 

Martin didn’t answer, distracted by the immense pain in his knee. Jack took the man’s head and slammed it into the marble floor, breaking his nose on impact. Blood poured from the man’s nose as his head was lifted upright.

 

“I asked you a question.” Jack bashed Martin’s head again, flecks of blood and tissue sticking to the floor this time.

 

No answer.

 

_Crunch_.

 

Handsome Jack stood up, examining the blood that had sprayed across his pants, “Aw, fuck. I just had these hemmed.”

 

The remaining soldiers weren’t sure how to react to seeing their comrade’s head sunken in like a rotting melon, and a few of them tried to slink back toward the door before they were noticed. The executive picked his gun back up off the desk, whirling around to face them, each stopping dead in their tracks.

 

“The answer, in case you were all _dying_ to know, was _yes that looks like damage_.” He gestured to Maya’s body pointedly, “Everyone on the same page now? Good. Now clean my floor.”

 

The men didn’t need to be told twice, a few of them rushing to pick up Martin’s remains, while the others tried to wipe up the resulting mess with their sleeves. In record time, the floor of the office was free of all human debris, save for the Siren, of course.

 

No one wanted to touch _her._

 

Jack tapped the muzzle of the gun against his temple, “Wait… wait, before you go, I'm forgetting something.”

 

_Bang._

_Bang._

 

Two of the men crumpled to the floor, causing the others to pause before the exited the office.

 

“They dropped her,” Handsome Jack waved the soldiers away. “Now get the fuck out.”

 

The remaining - _still_ _breathing_ \- men cleared out before Jack could remember anything else he wanted to do with them, making sure to drag out their dead as they left. Handsome Jack waited until he heard their footsteps disappear down the long hallway before turning his full attention back to the Siren on the floor.

 

"Alright, bluebird, let's get you patched before you bleed out all over the place. Undignified way to go, ya know?" He untied the sloppy knots around her wrists, and picked her up with bit of effort.

 

He carried her over to a sofa over in the corner of his office; an area normally reserved for late nights when he had too much work to finish. It wasn't that great of a bed substitute, but it was good for a few hours worth of napping.

 

Or for _other_ activities.

 

**Those** were good times.

 

The executive set her down gingerly on the sofa, sticking all of the available cushions under her leg to slow the bleeding. Once he was satisfied with his effort, he walked back over to his desk, picking up the earpiece for his phone.

 

"Yeah, get some guys for medical up here, pronto. Oh, and my tailor. Gonna need pants again." He clicked off the conversation before the person on the other end could reply.

 

Let them try and puzzle **that** one out.


	3. The Lies We Sell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Different versions of the same truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I surpassed my own goal of getting this chapter out by the weekend. Good on me!
> 
> It is a little short, comparatively, but it's just building up to something bigger next time. 8D
> 
> As always, feedback and suggestions are appreciated!
> 
> \- Chaos

 

 

The Lies We Sell

 

Maya awoke to the sound of someone humming.

 

It sounded like nothing she recognized, but it was soft and breezy like some lullaby used to soothe an unhappy child. A sharp contrast to the pain that radiated through her head as she reached higher levels of consciousness.

 

She gingerly reached up to check the area the throbbing ache seemed to originate from, feeling a square patch of gauze-like material attached to her skin. There were no wet spots on her fingers when she examined them, meaning she wasn’t actively bleeding, which was a plus.

 

The bandage itself was new, however, as was its twin that wrapped itself around the wound on her leg. Her pants were ripped – no, _cut_ \- at the knee, and she felt as though the work had been done by a skilled hand. It was a vast change from the sloppy field-dressing she had taught herself to use during long missions away from the civilized parts of the planet.

 

Her muscles reluctantly moved from their relaxed position as she attempted to sit up, trying to recall just what had happened to her earlier that day that she ended up here. Where ever _here_ might be – that was yet to be determined. _Here_ was cold, but the sectional sofa she reclined on was comfortable. Soft. Clean.

 

Not the Pandoran outdoors.

 

_Good_.

 

Maya took a deep breath and exhaled slowly; she remembered reaching Opportunity, spotting the front entrance to the office complex, feeling the gunshot… and then nothing. Nothing except for the humming that had stopped when she had started moving around. It had been a pretty tune, and she felt a sense of loss at the silence.

 

“Good morning, princess.” A familiar, deep voice sounded from across the room.

 

Handsome Jack was sitting behind a desk across the large expanse of floor space, flipping through a binder of papers. A pen was twirling between his fingers idly and his face was neutral as he read through whatever was written on the current page. The Siren was taken aback at just how – not _normal_ , maybe _unassuming_ – the man looked.

 

Jack glanced over at her, “Feeling okay?”

 

The Siren nodded, flexing her leg a bit, “There’s pain, but tolerable.”

 

“Well, you _look_ like hell,” He snorted, his attention returning to the work in front of him.

 

“How kind,” Maya adjusted herself on the sofa, shoving a throw pillow behind her back.

 

There wasn’t a reply from the executive, to which she figured he was too engrossed in his work to pay her any more attention at the moment. Good a time as any to take a look around the room, she thought, wondering if she was the only outsider – as of yet still breathing – to have seen the inside of Handsome Jack’s private office. If nothing else, perhaps there was something she could nick from one of the shelves that would be worth something on the black market.

 

It wasn’t as lavish as she would have imagined; there were pictures of Jack looking triumphant or generically heroic – _very gauche_ – but the furniture was sparse and unremarkable. The typical office mix of functionality and comfort.

 

The real selling point had to have been the view out of the large picture window behind him; offering the spectacular sight of Opportunity and the surrounding landscape. Even the tallest building in Sanctuary didn’t offer a view like that, and she suddenly itched to get up and take a look for herself.

 

Maya eased herself off of the sofa, using the back of it to support her weight for the first few steps until she gained her balance. She only suffered a slight limp as she passed by his desk toward the window, pressing her hand against the glass to steady herself as she looked outward.

 

It was different to see the city this way, watching the people go about their business, and _not_ being in the middle of a gunfight in the street. They all looked so… content. Cheerful even.

 

_Unsettling_ , she thought bitterly.

 

An arm snaked itself around her waist, lifting her up to ease the weight off of her injured leg, “Whatcha lookin’ at, bluebird?”

 

Maya’s spine straightened like a steel rod, and she put distance between them with a good shove to his chest before hobbling back over to sit down, “Nothing.”

 

“Ugh, enough with the frigid bitch routine. It’s _old_.” He followed her like a shadow, sitting hip to hip with her on the sofa, and draping his arm behind her head along the cushions.

 

His lack of regard for personal space was something Maya disliked about him.

 

Not that she particularly _liked_ anything about him.

 

That she would _admit_.

 

She could sense more than just the tactile feeling of his arm and body against her own; it was as though the weight of his presence alone was bearing down on her. Oppressive and heavy. No doubt he would take command of any room he entered, something that reminded her of her days in the Cult with an eerie familiarity.

 

But Handsome Jack wasn’t like _them_. He has _asked_ her to work with him; to _protect_ him. All the Cult had wanted out of her was destruction.

 

The difference was not lost on her.

 

The Siren picked up a small booklet from the coffee table in front of her, hoping he would take the hint and go back to ignoring her like he had been before. Hyperion Company Weekly was embossed on the front cover, above a photo of some employees mugging for the camera with big, bright smiles. She thumbed through a few pages of advertisements until she found something worth reading: a small article on recent promotions within the company.

 

It contained interviews with the recently promoted, each telling about how they worked their way up from the bottom with grit and determination, emulating their beloved leader. Some even included encouraging words from friends and family, happy to see their loved one move on to bigger and better things. Hopeful for the future.

 

It wasn’t something she expected from a company like Hyperion; people being more than happy to contribute to the business’ success. Weren’t they all just heartless drones?

 

“There’s a great blurb about me in the back,” Jack took the booklet from her, flipping the pages. “Specifically about how sexy my hair is getting with the grey bits.”

 

Maya made a noise of disgust and leaned against the arm of the sofa.

 

So much for normal company news.

 

Handsome Jack laughed, tossing the booklet on the table, “I know, right? Why read about it when you can witness it firsthand? Ah, my fans, they kill me. So desperate I have to beat them off with a stick.”

 

“Truly. I can hear them scratching at the door like skags in heat.” The Siren was less than amused. “How do you manage?”

 

“Holy shit… was that a fuckin’ **joke**?” He sounded incredulous, reaching over examine the bandage on her head. “Did you get a personality knocked into you, cupcake? Goddamned miracle.”

 

Maya batted his hand away, “Fuck off, Jack.”

 

Instead of complying with her request, he just laughed and grabbed ahold of her jaw, pressing his thumb and index fingers tight, “Aw, don’t get all bent. I'm just fuckin’ with you, bluebird.”

 

She shook her head, remembering how tight that grip of his could be, “I'm not. I'm just not that good at being… I don’t know, _jovial_. Especially around _you_.”

 

“Ooh, good word,” Jack released his hold, “Why not be happy around me? I'm a happy guy. We gotta be comfortable around each other if we’re going to work together, ya know. Or else I'm going to think you’ll shoot me in the back and leave me to die somewhere out of some misguided sense of spite.”

 

“Unless I talk in my sleep, I don’t remember agreeing to take this job, Jack.” Uncomfortable, she tried to move away from him, unable to look him in the eye.

 

The Hyperion executive did not seem to enjoy her sudden negativity, “I thought… that we left with the understanding that you would be coming here to tell me **good** news.”

 

The Siren shook her head, “It’s not that simple. Not just yes or no.”

 

“Ah-ah, no. It really fucking is ‘ _just yes or no’_. One word. Two choices.’ His hand gripped the cushion behind her. “It doesn’t need to be difficult.”

 

“But it _is_ difficult for me. Do you have any idea the reputation you have? What they say?” She snapped back. “That you’re going to ruin-”

 

Before she could elaborate, Jack’s free hand clamped down over her mouth, effectively cutting her off. Maya’s eyes went wide, finally meeting his gaze with confusion and panic. His own expression seemed to waver between rage and exasperation.

 

“Stop,” He clenched his teeth. “You were going to say something _very_ stupid which you would _very_ much regret doing.”

 

After a brief pause, he seemed to soften a bit, “I know what those bandits say about me, but they have no idea what I’ve done for this miserable fucking rock. What I’ve _sacrificed_. They just sit there and spout off lie after lie, because they don’t _get it._ Get **me.** ”

 

His hand drifted away from her mouth, traveling down her long neck languidly and across her collarbone to rest upon her shoulder. From him, it was both an equally intimate and dangerous gesture, and Maya felt her heart thudding heavily in her chest.

 

The problem was that Maya wasn’t certain if she was feeling fear from the threat, or something _else._

 

It was the _else_ that truly frightened her.

 

“But you, oh my precious bluebird, **you** are smart enough to know the truth when you hear it, aren’t ya?” Handsome Jack’s anger was dissipating, his voice turning smooth and velvet.

 

The Siren cleared her throat, “I’d like to think so.”

 

Jack squeezed her shoulder, “Right! After all, they say all kinds of bullshit like I'm a tyrant or a beast or something. Imagine, _me_ : some scary thing eating children in the night or whatever. With claws and teeth and six heads. Stupid, right?”

 

Maya shrugged, “I suppose.”

 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, “Tell you what, we’ll do a trial run. A few weeks with me, and if you don’t want the gig, you can go run off with your bandit friends. Deal?”

 

Maya went quiet, weighing the options of the altered business arrangement he proposed to her. If it was only a trial basis… she could still run missions for the Raiders without fear of repercussions. After all, if she were questioned, she could always lie and say she just spying on the Hyperion executive. No harm, no foul.

 

“Just like that?” She asked, her eyebrow quirking up.

 

“Just like that! To be honest I don’t think that’ll happen, so I'm not worried.” He leaned back on the sofa, putting his arms behind his head.

 

“…alright.” Maya sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Just a few weeks.”

 

“That’s all it takes, bluebird.” He replied.


	4. Enemy Colors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people look good in yellow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew!
> 
> Managed to finally cross the finish line on this part. And you're all left with a bonus cliffhanger! My gift to you~
> 
> I'll try to get the next chapter out soon. It'll be full of ACTION! SUSPENSE! DRAMA! OTHER EXCITING WORDS!
> 
> As always, feedback and suggestions are appreciated!
> 
> \- Chaos

 

 

 

Enemy Colors

 

A few weeks’ worth of a trial run had turned into three months, and Maya had decided to stay on the Hyperion payroll. It was surprisingly easy of a job to do compared to the rough and tumble lifestyle she had grown accustomed to running missions out of Sanctuary. Handsome Jack only called her to work when he was on the planet’s surface, which was only a few days at a time, to escort him places he thought his life would be threatened.

 

Meaning _everywhere_ on Pandora.

 

They’d go scout around construction sites mostly, checking on the progress of the company civilizing the landscape. A few times he dragged her to Hyperion recruitment centers; mostly to encourage people to join in the good fight. Having a Siren show up in favor of the company did wonders for moral support, easing even the most apprehensive of would-be soldiers into putting their name on the dotted line.

 

It was all low profile gigs. She hardly had the chance to test out the latest in Hyperion weaponry lavished upon her whenever the prototype was finished. Beautiful little pieces designed to her specific tastes.

 

There _were_ , as with all things, _risks_ involved when they traveled together.

 

For the most part, the Siren did her job of taking the brunt of the abuse during skirmishes with the local wildlife – or _locals_ themselves. Her employer was kept happy and healthy, and the millions worth of medical equipment he had at his command kept her fighting fit.

 

Maya was growing comfortable in her role, having been able to balance her time between Handsome Jack and Roland’s group so that the latter was kept unaware of the former.

 

Yet, even the most effective of routines can sometimes fall apart within moments.

 

The executive and his bodyguard were meant to visit a bunker not too far from the town of Overlook, something they had done many times before. The difference in this particular trip was that a band of local mercenaries had rigged the perimeter of the building with traps to ransack any vehicles that approached the bunker.

 

Neither one of them had been prepared for the onslaught of slag barrels and acid traps that wrecked the Hyperion company car, along with its passengers. Handsome Jack and Maya had been rushed back to Opportunity's medical center before the damage was too severe, and the bunker was deemed a total loss, along with everyone inside.

 

They sat there together, Jack’s left arm covered in small patches of gauze where the acid had burned through his clothes, and Maya nude from the waist up while the medical team applied burn salve and linen wrappings to her torso and arms. The Siren had managed to shove the taller man out of the way of an acid trap – _he hadn’t thanked her yet_ – and took the majority of the assault. If it weren’t for the pain distracting her, she would have appreciated how pathetic the two of them must have looked sitting together.

 

Maya turned to the man next to her, hissing when the nurse hit a tender spot, “The next time I say **tripwire** : _don’t step on it_.”

 

“Just saying the word without pointing to where it is doesn’t so _shit_ , princess.” Handsome Jack cross his arms, which only served to aggravate his injuries, “AH- mother _fucking_ goddamn!”

 

She rolled her eyes, “Tough it out.”

 

He stood up and walked over to the glass medical cabinet, trying to inspect himself in the reflection, “I'm not used to this kind of hazard. Is this shit normal for you? If I would’ve known perfect tits like that were in constant danger of being mutilated – fuck what a _tragedy_ \- , I’d have gotten you better armor.”

 

The Siren turned several shades of red, “Your concern is touching.”

 

The medical team finished up quickly, not wanting to get in the middle of their discussion should things turn sour. Maya dressed in a pair of standard-issue cargo pants and a Hyperion-yellow shirt sporting the company logo on the front. Not her first choice of wardrobe, but it was the best she could do while her armor was being salvaged as much as possible in another building.

 

Handsome Jack motioned for her to follow him, leading her back to the privacy of his office. The hallways and corridors of the building had become second-nature now, as had the people working there. In the beginning, employees had avoided her entirely, keeping their eyes down and brushing past without so much as a sound. Now, they would smile and wave; as word had gotten around through the company that she was an employee just like them.

 

Sometimes, she would even wave back.

 

Upon reaching the office, Maya took her unofficial _spot_ on the soft, noticing her guns and personal affects had already been delivered while they were in treatment. A stack of books sat upon the coffee table, the latest volumes she had requested from the Hyperion archives. It was the unparalleled highlight of working for the company, in her opinion: unlimited access to hundreds of years of collected knowledge through research and exploration. When her employer was up on Helios, Maya would come and go from the archives, devouring every book she could get her hands on.

 

Not everyone appreciated her love of the written word.

 

Jack didn’t seem to mind.

 

“And just what are we ignoring me with today, kiddo?” Handsome Jack sat in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk.

 

“The Unauthorized Biography of Handsome Jack,” she waved the book in his direction, “Something you picked out?”

 

He snorted, “Thought you could use some _real_ knowledge once in a while. Better subject matter. Full of my heroic exploits and personal, sordid details of my epic sex life.”

 

“Epically unsatisfactory?” She peered at him over the top edge of her book, hiding the hint of a smirk she had tugging at one side of her lip. “Or epically unremarkable?”

 

“Ugghh, you’re killin’ me here, babycakes. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” there was a frustrated grumbling from across the room, followed by the sound of a view screen popping to life. “You could try it _now_. It’d be fucking _magical_. Call it a team building exercise. Hell, I’ll even let you be on top if you wanted. I'm good _any which way_.”

 

“I’ll consider it,” she flipped a few pages.

 

From his place behind the desk, Handsome Jack watched the Siren make herself comfortable. He was surprised at her response to his offer, being that every other time he had propositioned her for a fun romp between business associates, she would turn it down immediately. Now she had him wondering if all those times had just been her playing hard-to-get, trying to get him wanting her more than just a quickie or two; because it was fucking _working_.

 

It pissed him off, too.

 

Maya sitting there in Hyperion colors wasn’t helping his frustration – both the fact he was being ignored, and the sexual bit – in the slightest. She looked **good** in Hyperion yellow. She looked even **better** when she sported Hyperion guns and supplies, each of them none too subtle about the prominent logo plastered into each one.

 

She would have looked the **best** sitting in his lap; skin flushed red against the yellow fabric. 

 

He _liked_ that image.

 

If he had been asked months ago if he believed the Siren would be sitting so content in his office, trading barbs with a casual familiarity, after she had willingly put herself in harms’ way for his safety… he’d say he knew it would happen. But the ease in which adjusted to her role was an added surprise.

 

He noticed the little details about her that had changed in those few months as well; minute little idiosyncrasies that might escape anyone unfamiliar with the Siren’s history. Maya had become much more talkative, prone to starting conversations with him over the ECHOnet on a more frequent basis. She would ask how certain projects were progressing, and when he planned to travel down to Pandora. Jack had sluffed it off as her just trying to plan ahead, but sometimes it sounded like she was _eager_ for him to come back.

 

He had offered for her to come up to Helios multiple times, but she claimed space travel made her ill.

 

The way she carried herself around him had become the most drastic change; following him like a shadow when they walked together, putting herself between him and anyone else into the room with just a subtle tilt of her body. Things that straddled the fine line between the loyal and the _possessive_.

 

No longer did she shy away from him when he got too close; instead she just accepted his presence as it was. Handsome Jack could touch her nonchalantly, friendly –sometimes _more -_ little gestures, and she gave him no sign of distress. It had made him wonder what had finally changed her opinion of him in that mysterious little head of hers, and whether or not he was directly responsible for that change.

 

An unforeseen perk?

 

Jack knew he had been staring too long, turning his attention to the view screen above the desk before she caught him looking. Made him feel like he was in fucking high school, but what could he do?

 

_“- and in today’s top story: our beloved leader, Handsome Jack, was pulled swiftly from the jaws of death itself outside the town of Overlook earlier today-”_

 

Jack sat up, snapping his fingers to get Maya’s attention, “Hey, bluebird, they’re talking about us on the news.”

 

Maya closed her book, setting it down before wandering over to the desk, “Us?”

 

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, leaning his head against her hip, “Shh, I want to hear this.”

 

_“- after a vicious surprise attack by bandits, Handsome Jack was rushed to Opportunity for medical treatment. Sources say the attack could have proven fatal, if not for the timely intervention of his courageous protector-”_

 

The Siren felt all the color drain away from her face, praying to whatever would listen that they would not go into more detail about his “protector”. She knew that Roland and the others would sometimes listen to news broadcasts from Hyperion, trying to pinpoint anything they could exploit from the information for their benefit. Even though the information was second-hand, it helped them keep track of Jack’s comings and goings from Pandora, giving them time to strategize in his absence.

 

That meant there was the chance they could be watching tonight’s report, and she felt the pit of her stomach drop sharply.

 

She hadn’t told them about her deal with Handsome Jack.

 

And this was _not_ how she wanted them to know about it.

 

_“-as many of you know, we have had confirmed reports from Hyperion employees what Handsome Jack as partnered with the Siren known as ‘Maya’: a one-time suspected bandit and Vault Hunter.”_

 

Maya slammed her fist down onto the control panel, as though shutting off the screen would erase the broadcast from the ECHOnet itself. There was no way to take back any of what had been said during the report, and there was a chance everyone in Sanctuary would know what she had been doing all this time. No amount of lies would cover it up anymore. She had considered playing it off as a case of mistaken identity, but they had called her out by name.

 

“Hey, easy on the equipment. Shit’s pricey.” Jack inspected the device for damage before looking up at the distressed woman above him, “What’s gotten into you, kiddo? Didn’t you hear what they said? You _saved_ me, everyone is gonna **love** you for the rest of your life.”

 

She shook her head, suddenly wanting out of his hold, “Not everyone.”

 

“What… you mean those _bandits_?” He didn’t let her go, but stood up so that it was less awkward for him to hold her. “So what? You don’t need _their_ approval. They don’t like anything anyway. Maybe guns. They like those, right? Point is, everyone that _matters_ will love you.”

 

The Siren elbowed him in the chest, “That’s _not_ the point, Jack! The people in Sanctuary? Roland and the others? They didn’t know about us- the **job**. This job. Now I have a target on my back because of you!”

 

Handsome Jack reluctantly let her go, rubbing the spot where she hit him, “Goddamn it, would you just calm down for two seconds?”

 

“Don’t you _fucking_ tell me to calm down!” Maya raised her fist, intent on hitting him again.

 

_Beep._

_Beep._

 

From across the room, Maya’s ECHO device sounded off, and both of them turned to stare at it. They both knew who was on the other end of that call, and a sense of dread washed over the pair.

 

Maya was terrified of what they would _do_ to her.

 

Handsome Jack was afraid of what they would _say_.

 

“ **Don’t** answer it,” He whispered, watching the Siren move toward the ECHO.

 

“I have to, or it’ll be worse.” She replied, though hesitated to turn on the switch when she had it in her hands.

 

They stared at each other for several long moments, until Jack finally nodded and gestured to the ECHO. In truth he had been testing to see how long she would follow his command, satisfied that she had waited until he gave her approval. Perhaps he wouldn’t lose her to those bandits even if they tried to lay on the guilt during the call. It was a _start_.

 

When she turned on the speaker, Roland’s voice boomed throughout the office.

 

_“Maya! Are you there? Respond immediately.”_

 

“I'm here, Roland.” She said quietly, relived that he sounded concerned more than anything else.

 

_“Where are you?”_

 

Her eyes flickered to Jack, who placed a finger to his lips with a quiet _shh_ , “Nowhere in particular.”

 

_“Well then get your ass out of nowhere and back to Sanctuary.”_

 

“I'm not that close,” Maya watched Handsome Jack walk toward her, careful not to make too much noise to give himself away. “I can get there tomorrow morning.”

 

_“I'm not playing games, Vault Hunter. What the hell was that on the news? You working for Handsome Jack now? Turned traitor?”_

 

The Siren felt her throat go dry, and she swallowed hard, “Traitor? Roland, you know me better-”

 

_“Do we? You’ve been awful scarce lately; you been dealing with the enemy? What’s the going rate for selling out your friends? It’s not worth it to work for a **monster**.”_

 

Jack’s hand slipped around the back of Maya’s neck, and he leaned in close to her ear, whispering, “Traitor? Sell out? That didn’t take long, did it? It’s like they were fuckin’ _waiting_ for an excuse.”

 

_“Whatever he’s told you, whatever he promised… it’s a lie. That’s what he does, Maya, he **lies**. He’ll say anything to get what he wants; he’ll make you feel as if you have no choice, but you **do.** ”_

 

“Do you hear him, bluebird? He thinks you didn’t have a choice, that I _forced_ you.” His grip was firm, but not painful. “Tell him the truth.”

 

“I took the job on my own,” she replied. “It's not hurting anyone.”

 

_“Not hurting… dammit. Get back here, and we can help you. We’ll cut whatever leash he’s got on you. Trust us.”_

 

With that, the connection was cut, and Roland’s voice was replaced with radio static. Handsome Jack took the ECHO from her hands, throwing it across the room, pieces breaking off upon impact. Startled, Maya stepped away from him, frustration etched upon her features.

 

“Jack! What was that for?” The Siren gestured to the broken machine by the door.

 

“He was pissing me off, and since he wasn’t here to shoot in the face, I had to make due.” He shrugged it off, “You’re not actually thinking about going there, are you? Let’em fucking rot.”

 

“I can go if I want,” She narrowed her eyes, her chest puffing out in a silent challenge. “I'm not on a _leash_ , right?”

 

Jack regarded her carefully, in all honesty wanting to avoid an angry Siren throwing his ass out the window, “No leash in _my_ hands, baby.”

 

Satisfied, Maya walked over to gather her belongings by the door, knowing that if she lingered to long she would lost the nerve to go entirely. She owed it to the Crimson Raiders to tell them the truth, owed it to the people of Sanctuary.

 

_Friends,_ not people.

 

_Maybe_

 

“Bluebird, before you go.” Handsome Jack closed the distance between them with a few steps, his face strangely pensive. “Whatever choice you make, **you** better fucking make it. No one else decides. No one else tells you.”

 

His candid speech was a surprise to say the least, and Maya felt her resolve ebbing away. Taking a deep breath, she managed to attach all her gear without irritating her bandages, and hesitated when she reached the threshold.

 

“Thanks for the advice, Jack.” She mumbled, “But I don’t know if I will come back.”

 

Jack walked over to the large picture window, staring out into the rapidly darkening sky, “I’ll leave the light on for ya, princess.”


	5. Pull Your Punches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diplomacy is often supplemented with a hands-on approach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter than the last, as it's more of a setting-up directly for the next chapter. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who leaves comments/kudos on my work! I know I haven't directly responded to them yet, but I do appreciate the fact you all took the time to comment at all.
> 
> As always, feedback and suggestions are welcome!
> 
> \- Chaos

 

 

 

Pull Your Punches

 

In her dreams, Sanctuary was burning.

 

It would be the same every time she closed her eyes; the anguished cries of her friends off in the distance, buildings falling all around her as she fought to rush forward to help them. Her movements were sluggish and lax, the world tipping over so far she would be unable to keep her balance, and lay on the ground immobile as everything went up in flames.

 

The screams would grow louder with each moment, all of them cursing her name, surrounding her in a cacophony of sound until she had to cover her head in her hands. A vain attempt to shelter herself from the noise.

 

Just before the flames consumed her, she would feel herself being pulled far away; a hand reaching out to take her away from the destruction and death that tried to overwhelm her.

 

And suddenly, it was all gone.

 

It was _quiet_.

 

_Safe_.

 

Maya woke with a start, a thin layer of sweat coating her skin, chest heaving as she rushed back consciousness. She was still sitting in the parked light runner, and the sun was just inching over the distant horizon of dust and rock. It hadn’t been too long since she settled down for a quick rest, but there was no use in lingering around now that she was awake. She had to keep moving; had to keep one step ahead of those who followed behind.

 

The Siren started the vehicle, the engine turning over with a bit of effort, and started off across the Highlands’ landscape.

 

Even if she hadn’t stopped at all, the journey from Sanctuary – the _crater_ \- to Opportunity took days without using the shortcuts and main roads. At the start of her drive, she hadn’t planned on heading all the way back to the Hyperion city, but she found herself traveling that familiar path after the first few hours. If nothing else, no one would follow her there, but she knew it would only put the final nail in her coffin if the people of Sanctuary had anything to say about it.

 

They had blamed her the minute the shields failed, though she had not been the one to deliver the rigged generator. A group of Raiders had cornered her when the mortars started to fall, already calling for the Siren’s head, absolutely certain that her return the night before had set the stage for the attack. After all, she had just been announced as Handsome Jack’s defender: surely any attempt on her part to win back the hearts of the people would end in treachery.

 

Maya had managed to escape before the city disappeared into the sky, her feet carrying her as fast as she could away from those who were left behind. Away from a hail of gunfire and curses to her name.

 

By the time the sun had started to set, she drove through the gates of Opportunity, feeling uncomfortable at just how relieved she felt to see the familiar guards posted outside. They set to work unpacking her vehicle and getting it to the nearest repair shop, calling a few others to escort her directly to the main office building.

 

They expressed their worry to the Siren, claiming that they had heard about Sanctuary and feared the worst for their companion. They had been given strict orders to keep an eye out for her in the days that followed; Handsome Jack wanting immediate notice of her return.

 

She thanked them as she stepped into the elevator of the office, unsure if their concern was simply to placate her or if it was genuine. Perhaps it _was_ genuine, given that she had not been shot on sight.

 

The doors slid open, and Handsome Jack was waiting immediately on the other side, causing Maya to step back in surprise. He grabbed her arms and pulled her inside the office proper, circling around her once the doors closed and he was certain they were alone.

 

“Bluebird! Damn, you had me worried… not even an ECHO call?” He frowned, placing his hands on the sides of her face and examining her closely. “Just showing up late like it’s no big friggin’ deal? _Not_ impressed. You know I _hate_ waiting around-"

 

Maya’s fist connected with Jack’s jaw in one solid hit, sending him awkwardly sprawling to the floor as he failed to keep his balance. Slowly, he sat up, working his jaw to pop it back into place, before wiping away the trickle of blood that dripped from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. The Siren stared down at him, fist still clenched in a white-knuckle grip, her teeth bared in anger.

 

“You… you were going to kill _all those people,_ ” she spat, “ _Murder_ an _entire_ city.”

 

“You fucking hit me!” Jack sounded incredulous, “Nearly break my jaw, because of _that_?”

 

Red overtook Maya’s vision, and she leapt forward to tackle him to the hard, marble floor. Her fists were striking in a blind fury, getting a few solid hits on him before her sloppy rage got the better of her. Jack managed to wrap his long legs around her body, throwing his weight to switch their positions, one hand clenching around her throat while the other tried to pin her arms against her chest.

 

Heavier as he was, her struggling was proving to be difficult, not to mention the fact that the tattoo-like markings that wound around the left side of her body were starting to _glow_.

 

“Uh-uh, we’re _not_ playing that game today, princess.” He took her left arm and repeated slammed it against the floor, trying to break her concentration.

 

The Siren’s markings returned to their dull appearance, and she fought to stay alert even though her vision was starting to blur around the edges. A few drops of something fell onto her cheek, and she looked up to see blood dripping from his nose and mouth; a sense of pride filling her that she managed to do some damage before he turned the flow of the fight. It was a strange sight, seeing the blood and yet his mask reflecting no discoloration from her hits, only lines of bright red.

 

There was just something about him _bleeding_.

 

That normally _pristine_ face.

 

It was getting harder to focus on that face of his, and her struggling began anew, a second wind spurring her counter attack before she was completely out of it. She freed her hand from his grip, reaching up to attack the only part of him she could reach. Scratching, clawing like an animal, she tried to rip through the mask with all her might, hoping it would distract him just long enough. His grip on her throat tightened in response.

 

Maya’s fingers finally caught on the edge of the mask, and she _pulled._

 

Time itself seemed to crawl.

 

Jack’s mask came loose from his face, skidding across the floor in a noise that echoed loudly in the silence that followed. The Siren’s eyes widened as she saw his real face for the first time, her body going limp underneath his own as she just _stared_.

 

What could have made that _scar?_

 

Handsome Jack let go of the woman’s throat, rolling off of her to retrieve his mask. Without a second thought, the Siren reached out her left hand, unleashing her power just enough to keep him in place. She scrabbled past him on the floor, grabbing the mask and making it to the far wall just before her ability faded away, allow him to stand and advance on her.

 

She held the mask in her hand, keeping it behind her back, “I’ll throw it out onto the street, so help me!”

 

Jack paused, his chest heaving with exhaustion, “ _Hand it over_.”

 

“You’re everything they said you were!” Her voice cracked, and she fought to keep it steady. “You were willing to kill all those innocent people! Kill _me!_ ”

 

“ _Give_ me the _mask_ ,” He took a step toward her, his voice low and exacting.

 

“You don’t even care, do you? About any of them? Just _gone._ ” Maya shook her head, hunched low like a cornered animal about to run, “Least of all me, right? I'm just… _expendable_ , is that it? They told me I'm **replaceable**. And it’s true… you didn’t even _warn_ me…”

 

“ ** _Maya_** ,” he took another step, his long strides putting her almost within reach. “ _Stop_.”

 

The use of her name had an unanticipated – _on both parts_ \- effect on the Siren. Her whole body startled trembling, her jaw moving as if to speak thought nothing came out. She leaned back against the wall heavily, as tears streaked down her face, leaving little trails through the dirt that had caked there from her travels. There was no sobbing or anguished cries from her; no noise at all save for their breathing.

 

Handsome Jack was no stranger to seeing people cry in front of him, mostly men and women begging for him to spare their lives, or forgive them their failures. It did little so soften his mood, on such occasions, but seeing this was admittedly different. Something deep in his chest twisted sharply, but he was unable to pinpoint just _what_ he was feeling as he watched the tears roll down her face.

 

But this was not a practical time for deciphering his own inner workings.

 

If ever there _was_ a time for that nonsense.

 

“Look what they’ve done to you, bluebird.” Jack’s voice had lost the edge, but was just as quiet.

 

He approached her carefully, not wanting to break the wash of passiveness that seemed to overtake her for the time being. He reached out and took the mask from her shaking hands, slipping it back on with few distinct clicks.

 

“Saying those words, things I have _never_ said, to you so easily.” Handsome Jack sighed heavily, “You are _not_ replaceable to **me**. They just… dammit, they just lie! That’s what they do! They’re bandits! Son of a- I shouldn’t have let you go back. Should have kept you here.”

 

“On a leash…” She mumbled, rubbing her eyes childishly.

 

He took hold of her shoulders, shaking her a little, “ **No** , that’s not what I meant.”

 

Maya looked him straight in the eye, “Then say what you mean, Jack.”

 

“I meant to keep you from getting _hurt_ by _them_ ,” He corrected, gently pressing her against the wall. “Look at you: you come in here and get violent, you shout at me, and now you’re _crying_. And for what? The fact that those people almost bit it? That’s not why you’re mad, is it?”

 

He was answered with silence, so he continued on, “You’re mad because you _trusted_ them, and they let you down, aren’t you? You’d do _anything_ for them, and they made you feel worthless in a matter of seconds.”

 

The Siren screwed her eyes shut, not wanting another fresh round of tears to run down her face. She already felt foolish enough crying in front of anyone, let alone Handsome Jack. One of his hands patted her cheek gently, trying to get her attention back to him.

 

“I wouldn’t make you feel that way, kiddo.” He smirked, leaning in close. “And you know it. So, stop all this stupid self-pity and put on a better face. It worked for me.”

 

Despite herself, a small chuckle fell out of the Siren’s mouth, “So it would seem.”

 

Jack grinned, “There we go! Now, I know we’re having this moment here, so I'm gonna apologize in advance for this, okay?”

 

Her head cocked to the side, “For?”

 

“So glad you asked,” He replied, holding her head still.

 

With a swift forward motion, Handsome Jack knocked his forehead against hers, putting her unconscious instantaneously. He caught her before she slumped down to the floor, hefting her up over his shoulder with ease, and strode over to the office door swiftly.

 

“ _We’re going on a trip, baby.”_


	6. We Lose the Charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh good god it's been a month since the last update. Real Life decided to throw a few curve balls at me in September, so I was unable to work on this as much as I would have liked. Ugh. Sad. 
> 
> Thank you, loyal readers, for putting up with my nonsense. I'll try not to leave you all wanting so long in between chapters again. 
> 
> Also, points to Silvershodan for guessing the location of this chapter! :D
> 
> As always, suggestions and feedback are always welcome! 
> 
> \- Chaos
> 
> P.S.- The rating has been bumped up for safety reasons. This chapter contains Adult Situations (read: a bit of smut, but I tried to keep it classy), so be forewarned.  
> P.P.S- In case anyone was curious (not that I expect you would be), it's implied in-game that Maya had an affair with Brother Sophis before she murdered him. It's referenced in "Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre" DLC.

 

 

 

We Lose the Charm

 

Waking up in unusual places was becoming a habit for the Siren.

 

A most _unsettling_ habit.

 

She was roused gradually from a dreamless sleep, her head still feeling sore from Jack’s effective little strike, but otherwise she felt no worse for the wear. In fact, she felt _rested_ ; a state she had lacked for several days since Sanctuary.

 

With a wide yawn, she sat up, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim light of the room. By all accounts it looked to be a bedroom, the sparse décor immediately reminding her of Handsome Jack’s office. There was only a plush armchair in the opposite corner from her place on the rather small bed, and a nightstand with a lamp to her left. No windows, just a door off to the right.

 

Perhaps a guestroom rather than a long-term living space.

 

A small note card rested on the nightstand, with “ _Bluebird”_ scrawled in a rough, uneven hand. Curious, Maya picked up the note and turned it over, her brow furrowing in dismay when all that was written on the reverse was “ _Use the shower –H.J.”_.

 

Crumpling the note in her palm, she tossed it absently on the bed as she stood up, heading toward the only door in the room. She had half a mind to ignore the note and scour the rest of the living space for him, but the ash and dirt she could still feel caked on her skin was making a **fantastic** argument in favor of the note’s instructions.

 

Might as well take advantage of good hospitality at any rate.

 

Upon opening the door, the Siren was greeted by a long hallway, with a few doors and an open entryway at the end. It didn’t look as stark as the guest room, but it was notably dark and masculine in décor. After trying the first door she came across – _unsuccessfully as it was locked_ – the second door yielded better results. The bathroom was spacious, more so than the guest room, and sitting upon the counter top were towels and a set of lounge-wear pajamas.

 

The pajamas were _also_ notably masculine.

 

“I don’t think this whole idea is as _endearing_ as you think it is,” She spoke aloud, just in case her host could hear her from his location.

 

Maya didn’t spend too long cleaning up, but did appreciate the fully stocked amenities and lack of time limit on keeping the water from getting cold. Sharing a space with the Raiders meant five-minute showers and icy water by the time she would get her turn in line.

 

Her knuckles stung under the spray, still prickly from when she had assaulted Jack earlier.

 

His face probably felt worse.

 

A small consolation prize.

 

Donning the pajamas – they were long, but not comically oversized – she stepped back out into the hallway, feeling energized enough to keep exploring. As she approached the entryway at the end of the hall, a familiar tune drifted through large living room area she walked into; originating from the figure hunched over a desk in the corner.

 

A plush sectional sofa and matching armchairs took up most of the space, sitting in front of a wide view screen television. The desk and several cabinets filled with drawers of various sizes ran along the length of the far wall, along with what looked to be electronic projects in various state of completion.

 

The most notable feature of the room were the far walls.

 

Or, a **lack** of wall.

 

There was nothing but the view of Pandora and the vastness of space that surrounded it; a crystal clear panorama instead of a traditional window. It was tilted forward at a sharp angle, making a parallel line to the floor. Maya blindly grasped at the wall behind her, overwhelmed by the knowledge of just _where_ she was hitting her so suddenly.

 

_Helios_.

 

Her mouth was dry, and her voice strained, “ _Jack.”_

 

Handsome Jack stopped his cheerful humming, glancing over his shoulder with a smile, “Have a nice nap, did we?”

 

“We’re… in _space_.” The Siren couldn’t look away from the wall.

 

“Matter of fact, we are, pumpkin. I figured you needed a little break from Pandora. Clear your head.” He spun his chair around to face her, reaching out his arms. “Come over here; see the view.”

 

Maya eased herself over to him, using the furniture as an anchor, “You didn’t ask me if I wanted to be up here.”

 

“Nope,” His hands settled themselves on her hips, turning her body slightly to face Pandora. “But it’s for the best. For now, at least. We’ll have to go back down in a few days. Work to do, Vaults to find. You know the drill, princess.”

 

She tilted her head down, raising an eyebrow, “Am I still a Vault Hunter? Or bodyguard?”

 

“Little of column A, little of B.” He shrugged, squeezing the padded flesh of her hip idly.

 

The Siren turned her gaze back toward the planet, her eyes resting on the colorful surface as the clouds swirled around in varied patterns. They were far from the truths of life on the surface up here, unable to witness the chaos that plagued the world firsthand. It would give anyone a skewed vision of Pandoran life if they lived up on Helios. Clear as the view might be, it was not an accurate picture.

 

Handsome Jack tugged on her shirt, “Contemplating the universe, are we?”

 

“It looks peaceful from here, but it’s false.” Maya ran a hand through her hair. “A façade. It might not be what you want when you get to the Vault.”

 

He made a grumbling noise in the back of his throat, “Suddenly the philosopher. You’re really ruining the mood I'm trying to set here.”

 

“Mood?” She asked, turning her gaze back down. “I didn’t know we were in a mood.”

 

“Ughh, what am I going to do with you? _Lighten up_ , baby. No more getting violent, no more self-pity, no more of that clan of backwater savages you like for some reason I have yet to discover.” Jack stood up from the chair, steadying himself before lifting her up by the waist and hauling her over to the window. “It’s like putting the moves on a loader bot.”

 

Maya seized the front of his shirt, her blunt nails digging into the Hyperion-yellow material, “Put me _down_.”

 

Handsome Jack kept her feet from reaching the floor, “What for? You think I'm going to drop you? You’re not exactly heavy there, cupcake. In fact you’re a bit thin. Did they even feed you down there?”

 

“You just compared me to a _loader bot_ ,” She huffed, squirming around uncomfortably. “Not flattering.”

 

He finally set – more accurately _dropped_ – her back down on the ground, “Would it help if I said you would be the prettiest loader bot?”

 

“You are horrifically unprofessional,” Maya inched her way over toward the window, hesitantly placing a hand on the glass.

 

“Says the woman wearing her boss’ pajamas,” Jack picked at her sleeve, resting his back against the window casually. “Quite the sight out there, isn’t it? When I'm finished, it’ll be this quiet on the surface too. Gonna make it safe! A destination for people to come and build their lives without fear of being _murdered_ by bandits. The ultimate example of just how great life can be with a little _push_ in the right direction.”

 

The Siren glanced at him, “You feel it’s worth it to keep going when so many people want to stop you?”

 

Handsome Jack shrugged, absently rubbing the material of her shirt between his fingers, “Of course it is. I’ve come too far just to quit because _some people_ don’t like change. It’s practically destiny, ya know.”

 

“Destiny doesn’t mean _best_ _reason_. Throughout history there are people like you who thought they could reshape their world because they felt it _just_. Most of them fail.” Maya let her hand fall to her side, “ **You** could fail.”

 

“I won’t,” The reply was stern.

 

“You _could_ ,” Her voice was soft, “but I’d rather you didn’t.”

 

“For Pandora’s sake, right? Save the innocent people?” He gestured to the planet, “Protect the spotted rakk?”

 

Maya shook her head, “No, because failure would surely kill you, one way or another. I can’t let that happen.”

 

“Because I pay you to do just that?” He sounded unhappy, wandering away toward the sofa in the center of the room.

 

“Because I give a damn about what happens to you, Jack.” The words spilled out of her mouth harsher than she intended.

 

Handsome Jack straightened back up to his full height, stopping dead in his tracks; an unreadable expression on his features as he turned to face the Siren. In the silence that followed, Maya was left alone with the weight of her own words, feeling as though they had been forcibly ripped from her throat; raw and hollow as she stared back at him.

 

It was a selfish – _foolish_ – thing she had allowed to happen; giving him priority in her life. Having him be someone she valued; someone she was loathe to see be taken away.

 

The worst of it was to realize he might not hold _her_ life with the same regard.

 

“It’s rather stupid of me, considering what happened with Sanctuary, and what I did to you yesterday.” She swallowed thickly, putting her back to him, gazing down at Pandora. “It’s also difficult for me.”

 

His footsteps were heavy and loud, even on carpeted floor, “Why difficult?”

 

“Run of bad luck on trusting the wrong people,” he had gotten close, and she could feel him looming over her. “That I will wake up one day with a knife slipped into my back.”

 

Handsome Jack pressed his fingers against the middle of her spine, “About here?”

 

Maya looked back over her shoulder sharply, “Don’t mock me.”

 

“I'm doing no such thing. It’s good to have a solid distrust of people, bluebird. I _wish_ I had that before… well, would have spared me some headaches later. That’s all.” His hand trailed lazily up and down her back, “You really care about me, huh?”

 

“For now, but you’re losing my favor.” The Siren moved away from his hand, sidestepping him to walk back toward the hallway. “All your little touches and teases; meaningless things. _Distractions_.”

 

Jack caught up to her at the hallway’s entrance, taking her by the shoulders and pinning her against the wall, “The hell you talking about ‘meaningless’? I'm beginning to think you _are_ a loader bot. I had thought it was just mixed signals, but damn, you’re friggin’ _heartless_ , bluebird. I **like** you, and you just flat out **ignore** my feelings.”

 

Maya’s jaw fell, eyes wide in utter confusion, “You…”

 

“Like you,” He finished, seemingly amused by her expression. “Not that hard a concept. I do have feelings, you know; I get attracted to people like any other man out there. I wasn’t trying to be subtle.”

 

Her mouth opened and closed softly, “I didn’t think-”

 

Handsome Jack’s hand snapped up to cover her mouth, keeping her head firmly against the wall, “That is _painfully_ obvious, pumpkin, but I know it’s not your fault. That distrust you have, that doesn’t always come _naturally_. I bet someone hurt you deep, didn’t they? Someone you trusted more than anyone else? And you’re taking it out on _me_ because you think I’ll be just like _them_ , aren’t you?”

 

_Brother Sophis._

 

His betrayal was still vivid in her memories, a deep wound on her heart that refused to heal.

 

But Handsome Jack was not Sophis.

 

Jack was _different_.

 

The Siren gave a shaky nod, squirming uncomfortably against the wall. Jack’s stare was entirely focused on her, and she was finding it hard to look away from his mismatched eyes.

 

“Betrayal is a disease.” Jack sighed, taking his hand away and placing it on the wall next to her head, “That stuff will eat you alive if you let it, bluebird. It never really goes away, but you can learn to live with it, maybe even find something to dull the feeling. You _hope_ you can, anyway.”

 

The pair went rather quiet, neither of them sure of what to say in the face of such vulnerability on both parts. Maya knew Jack’s words came from a place of experience, as his descriptions were frighteningly accurate to her own feelings.

 

He _understood_.

 

It was that revelation that caused Maya to break out of her silent contemplation, her hand reaching out to grab him by the shoulder, pulling him down a bit as she leaned forward. Words, she decided, were not necessary, and before she lost her nerve, she closed the – _now very small_ – distance between them with a kiss.

 

It was not the most graceful of kisses on her part, her lips only catching the corner of his mouth from where his head was tilted, and it only lasted a few brief moments. Handsome Jack made a surprised noise in his throat, caught off guard by the sudden intimate gesture; his arms automatically wrapped themselves around the Siren, crushing her against his taller form.

 

There was no subtlety to his movement as he near dragged her down the hallway, pausing every few feet cover her mouth with her own, leaving her breathless each time. Maya could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage when he roughly pushed her against one of the closed doors, one of his hands reaching behind her to blindly fumble around to open it. He started cursing under his breath when he had to finally move her out of the way to find the doorknob, and she laughed at his impatience.

 

He used his body to back her into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. Maya thought it an odd thing for him to do, considering there didn’t seem to be anyone else in the living space that would have interrupted them, but it seemed more an action due to his frustration with the object in question.

 

There was no time for her to look around the room – curious as she was to what sort of bedroom Handsome Jack would have – before he stole her focus with a hand around the back of her neck.

 

“I’ve thought about this, ya know. A _lot_.” His grin was wolfish, showing rows of perfect teeth. “But I gotta wonder if you ever did the same.”

 

The Siren’s hand wandered down the side of his torso, tugging his shirt out from where it was tucked haphazardly into his jeans, “Once or twice.”

 

“You are the _worst_ liar, princess,” He chuckled, leaning back to help remove his shirt entirely.

 

Maya stared unabashedly at him, her hands immediately busying themselves with exploring the planes of his chest, taking note of each little imperfection. He wasn’t as lean as she pictured; his general frame was narrow, there was a bit of muscle definition to be seen, but there were areas where he was filled out more. Her hands settled on a spot just above his hip, feeling the softer skin that wasn’t so taught against the muscles. She speculated it was just a sign of his age, along with the grey that streaked though his hair and dusted his temples.

 

Maya always _liked_ the grey.

 

Not that she would tell him.

 

Handsome Jack picked at the buttons of her pajama top, undoing them one by one, “You look like you’re going to eat me, kitten.”

 

“Possibly,” She felt the fabric slide off her shoulders, catching in the crook of her elbows.

 

He walked away with a laugh, going over to fall back on the large bed, his arms reaching up and out toward her, “There’s nothing stopping you.”

 

Maya rolled her eyes, letting her shirt drop to the floor before joining him, “How can I resist when you’re being so romantic?”

 

The Siren crawled up the length of his body, sitting up and straddling his hips when she was settled comfortably. Jack’s hand traveled up her left side, tracing the pattern of her bright blue markings all the way up to her breast.  Her face grew warm in a blush that trickled down to her neck as he idly massaged her chest before sitting upright himself, the movement shifting their hips together, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from the Siren.

 

Humming in approval, Jack leaned forward and buried his face against the crook of her neck, catching a bit of skin between his teeth. Maya shivered, lolling her head to the side to allow him room to do as he pleased, tangling her hands in his hair.

 

It was also so _perfect._

 

It would look better if she _ruined_ it.

 

Jack lavished open-mouthed kisses along her throat, “You’re awfully quiet, bluebird.”

 

“Quiet?” Maya sounded breathy, lulled into laziness by his – _surprisingly_ – gentle attention.

 

“Figured you’d be louder. _Vocal_. Bookish types are usually _wild_ when you get them hot enough,” He mumbled against her skin, “Not you?”

 

She tugged on his hair sharply, enjoy the hissing gasp that came out of him, “Maybe I'm not warmed up yet.”

 

He groaned loudly, bucking his hips up against her, “ _Dammit, I **am**.”_

 

With effort, he rolled her over on the bed, standing up to divest himself of the rest of his clothing and hers as well. Maya propped herself up on her elbows, watching him kick off his jeans and boxers, and eyed his form appreciatively. She was not particularly shy about seeing him naked, but she felt the blush return to her face, a sudden spark of arousal prickling down her skin and sinking into her stomach. The Siren was no virgin, but her sexual encounters were few and far between.

 

The anticipation was something she missed.

 

Handsome Jack settled himself on top of the Siren, running his hand in a slow path between their bodies, “You’re lying to me again, cupcake. You’re burning up. _Scorching_. Right about _here_.”

 

His hand pushed deliberately between her legs, his long fingers stroking her without shame or hesitation. Maya turned her face to the side, trying to muffle the sounds that welled up in her throat, rolling her hips toward his hand. Jack took his free hand and grabbed her jaw, forcing her to look up at him, subtly pressing his hardened cock against her thigh.

 

“No,” He leaned down and kissed her, his fingers pushing past her folds and deeper into her with ease. “I want to hear _every_ sound you make because of me.”

 

Another jolt of arousal swept through her; brought to life by the roughness of his movement inside her, and the slight apprehension she felt whenever he put his hands near her neck. She knew those hands could have snapped her neck long ago – _they still could_ – and the fear of it only seemed to heighten the sensations running through her body.

 

It was **wrong**.

 

_Wasn’t it?_

 

Maya gave in to Jack’s request, a soft cry finally releasing itself into the quiet space around them. He rewarded her with another kiss, trailing his lips down to her jaw, and giving a bite to the tender skin. After a bit he slipped his fingers out of her wetness, adjusting her legs apart wide enough for him to move between, using his body to move her hips closer to his own.

 

It was embarrassing how much she was trembling against his body; how much she _wanted_ him. He didn’t make her wait long, slowly pushing his cock into her, pausing only to release a shaky breath against her cheek.

 

“I wanna hear you _sing_ , bluebird.” He whispered, snapping his hips forward and thrusting into her _hard._

 

A shout tore itself from the Siren, and her head pressed back against the bed, her body arching up into his chest. Jack groaned loudly next to her ear, pulling out nearly all the way before thrusting back into her even harder. He set a rough, but steady, pace; keeping their bodies as close as he could manage as though he were afraid to let go of her. Maya locked her legs around him, hips bucking to mimic the harshness of his movement against her.

 

Her hands found their way into his hair, and she pulled him in for a deep kiss, moaning against his mouth. She knew she wouldn’t last much longer if he kept at it the way he was, already feeling the muscles in her abdomen coiling tightly like a spring. He didn’t seem in better condition, his thrusts becoming a little more erratic and shallow.

 

“ _Fuck,_ ” Jack mumbled to himself more than her, concentration etched on his features.

 

He looked so disheveled above her; his hair sticking to the damp skin on his forehead above his mask, muscles stiff as he struggled to keep control of himself. Just seeing him like that _– knowing that she had a hand in it_ – was enough to finally tip Maya over the edge she was desperate to reach. She cried out his name in a sharp sound, voice cracking in a way that surprised her.

 

It was a desperate, _wanting_ sound.

 

Almost _helpless_.

 

Sounds that were far more primal – _predatory_ – came out of him and he sunk his teeth into the junction of her neck and shoulder. Her body shuddered deeply around him, riding out wave after wave of pleasure until they begun to subside; her skin feeling as though she had been doused in ice water despite how hot she was to the touch.

 

Jack had slowed himself down during the height of her release, but resumed his brutal pace shortly after. He was almost frantic in those last moments, mumbling words she couldn’t make out against her skin, squeezing her impossibly tight as he finally spilled into her with few erratic thrusts.

 

For what seemed like hours, neither of them moved.

 

Jack was the first to break their contact, slowly easing off of Maya and sinking heavily into the bed beside her, brushing his damp hair away from his forehead. The Siren shivered, feeling the cool air against the thin layer of sweat upon her skin, and curled up on her side facing the Hyperion executive.

 

She was unnerved by his silence, having expected him to make some lewd comment about his own performance, or hers. Was she expected to leave after a certain period of time? Slink back to her room down the hall and not speak of the encounter again? Her previous partners had not been the most affectionate after sex, and she harbored no illusions of Handsome Jack being any different.

 

Maya began slowly easing herself up to sitting, her body protesting with even the smallest movement.

 

Immediately, an arm reached out across her chest and pushed her back down, startling her.

 

Jack dragged her against his side, staring at her with a frown, “Where are you going, bluebird?”

 

The Siren felt embarrassed now, “You weren’t talking to me, so I assumed that meant you wanted privacy.”

 

“I'm fucking _worn out_ because of you _,_ baby, you gotta give me a minute. Take it as a compliment.” He huffed, shifting himself up to rest his chin on the top of her head, his limbs tangling around her.

 

“ _Oh,_ ” Maya eased herself against his body, willing herself to relax into the sudden affectionate gesture.

 

“That was good stuff, kiddo. _Worth the wait_. Have to savor it for a while, you know? Plus, I'm hardly the type to kick a gorgeous little thing like you out of my bed. I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I pulled shit like that.” He laughed, drawing nonsensical shapes on her back with his fingers.

 

“So you want me here to save your gentlemanly reputation?” The pout was clear in her voice.

 

“ _No_ , I want you here because I just _do._ ” His fingers stopped moving, his hand flattening out against her skin, “Is that a problem?”

 

Maya shook her head, “No, I'm just surprised.”

 

“Mmm, had me worried there for a second.” Jack hummed in the back of his throat, “You’re mine now, and I'm not letting you out of my sight. _Not again_.”

 

“I won’t leave anymore,” She replied softly.

 

There was a very long silence that followed, and Maya had thought he’d fallen asleep in the wake of his exhaustion, like she was tempted to do herself.

 

Before she gave into the gentle pull of sleep, Jack’s voice broke through the quiet, _“I know you won’t.”_


	7. Company of Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domesticity is not something easily practiced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to write a large diatribe about my absence for like three solid months, but I will shorten it by saying that my job kills my creative motivation (along with some personal nonsense that creeps up and ruins things).
> 
> Thank you all for bearing with me! We've still got a few chapters to go before the end. :)
> 
> Also, the next chapter will pick up immediately where this leaves off. The scene has been split up to allow for more in-depth things in the next bit. Lots of things that needed a little set up, and I didn't want to overwhelm all of you with a ginormous chunk to read.
> 
> \- Chaos

 

 

Company of Wolves

 

 

Everything was warm.

 

Certain things were aching.

 

Mostly _warm_.

 

Handsome Jack opened his eyes slowly, finding himself unable to see much of anything despite the light filtering through his curtains. He huffed out a breath, willing himself to move away from whatever it was that impeded his vision; quickly discovering it was a body.

 

A _live_ body, thankfully.

 

There was that one time where he wasn’t so lucky, but that had involved copious amounts of liquor and a trip to the gun range.

 

His face had been comfortably nestled in between a pair of breasts – reluctant as he was to leave them – that belonged to the pretty little Siren beside him. Her limbs were spread all over, with her tattooed arm slung stuffed underneath the pillow under her head. With the utmost delicacy, Jack slipped his arm from underneath the woman, already feeling the pins and needles crawling through his nerves.

 

He didn’t move too far away; enough to sit up against the headboard and still keep Maya in contact against his side. In truth, he wouldn’t have pegged her for being so willing to have him clinging all over her during the night. Little independent thing that she was, he thought she would have preferred the privacy of a bed space to herself.

 

Jack scrunched up his nose, feeling sore under this mask from the day before. Dosing himself with a near unhealthy amount of painkillers the night before had helped dull the constant throbbing pain in his nose and jaw, but it had started wearing off. Much as he wanted to get another round of medication, staying warm and lazy in bed was a much more attractive option.

 

Endorphins and all that.

 

Handsome Jack reached up with a practiced hand and undid the clasps of his mask, sighing at the release of pressure against his bruised face. The mask was set on the end table beside him, and he lightly scratched at the softened skin around his scar. If nothing else, the upside was that Maya had socked him in his bad eye, which didn’t make his vision any worse than it was- still black as pitch.

 

As if having to continuously compensate for skewed depth perception wasn’t bad enough, he was getting to the age of reading glasses.

 

Wasn’t _that_ thrilling.

 

The executive glanced down at the Siren, watching her chest rise and fall with slow, even breaths. She was too damn quiet when she slept- and when she was awake.

 

After a few moments, she rolled over in her sleep, pressing herself against his taller frame. Feeling chivalrous, he reached down and pulled up a blanket across their bodies, as it had gotten colder in the room. Helios wasn’t the warmest place in general, but depending on its orbit around Pandora it could get downright freezing.

 

At least she wasn’t awake to see him being _domestic_.

 

Not that it would really tarnish his image, but he didn’t want to be too soft with her yet. Not after it took this long to get her sticking around of her own free will. Being _too_ kind might result in ideas of laziness on her part when it came to doing her job. Maybe she wouldn’t _feel_ like going back to Pandora and slaughtering a bandit village. Or shooting an employee for being late.

 

Better to be a bit of a tyrant until after the Vault was opened.

 

Of course that didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy the future days and nights screwing around with the Siren until neither of them could walk straight. That was different.

 

Maya was moving around again and Handsome Jack glanced down to see if she was awake. He was greeted by a pair of bright blue eyes staring up at him. Tired as she looked, her eyes caught the small bit of light filtering into the room, giving them a near radioactive appearance that frankly startled him. It was easy to forget how otherworldly she was; how much power was contained in that disarmingly lithe body.

 

It was then that he realized he had yet to put his mask back on, and her stare was awful intense for someone who just woke from a dead sleep. The woman gave a sleepy blink, adjusting herself to rest her head against the soft flesh of his stomach, looking up at him as she yawned widely.

 

“You keep staring, bluebird, and I’m going to develop a complex.” Jack cleared his throat.

 

“Unnecessary,” she replied, noticeably fighting to keep awake while she spoke. “But… now I know why you tilt your head so much.”

 

He set his hand lazily on her thigh, massaging it gently, “I what?”

 

“Tilt your head,” her response was just barely above a mumble, “You can’t see.”

 

“And here comes the complex,” Jack self-consciously straightened his head, “Having your eye basically split in half will do that, cupcake. Wanna hear the gory details?”

 

Maya lightly butted her head against his stomach, “No.”

 

“No? No questions? No gasping in horrified shock at what was beneath the most handsome face in the universe?” He shifted awkwardly.

 

“Scars are scars. If you wanted me to know, you would have told me.” She did reach up gently touch one of the implanted hinges along his chin, “I want to sleep.”

 

Handsome Jack growled deep in his throat, “Not the least bit interested in my dashing heroics, pumpkin?”

 

He slipped his arms around her body, hauling her upwards so that he could look her in the eye. The Siren looked less than pleased at having been moved so abruptly, but managed to keep her head up and give him her full attention. Jack enjoyed the sight of her looking so disheveled, spotting a darkened, bruised bite mark on her shoulder.

 

He was really tempted to give her another one on the other side.

 

_Symmetry_.

 

Still mulling over the idea in his head, he moved his hands down the length of her body, digging his fingers into the flesh of her ribcage.

 

“That’s why I like you, bluebird, you don’t ask stupid questions. Only the need to know stuff.” Jack subtly pressed his body against her, “Makes you valuable.”

 

Maya made a soft noise, now fully awake, “That all you like?”

 

“Of course not; I just don’t make a habit of waxing poetic about the obvious.” With a subtle shift of their bodies, he rolled her on her back, pressing her into the bed. “Ugh, as much as I want to stay here and lick _every inch_ of those tattoos of yours, we’ve got places to be.”

 

The look of disappointment on the Siren’s face was almost enough to keep him in bed, even if it was gone within a few seconds. The thought of her being eager for another round with him was a distracting – _arousing_ – notion to say the least; but a particular task on today’s agenda was not something he was going to skip. It was much too important.

 

But, that’s not to say he was adverse to the idea of locking himself up in his office with the Siren during his lunch hour.

 

He made a mental note to extend lunch at least another two hours.

 

The best perk of being CEO was the ability to never truly be late for anything, because Handsome Jack instilled the idea that whenever he arrived was when a meeting was set to begin. A quick check-in with the boys in Research and Development was the first stop of the day, but the executive was more interested in how much the R&D staff seemed absolutely _terrified_ of the Siren standing next to him throughout the meeting.

 

After berating – and firing - the R&D boys for running the meeting long, Jack led Maya through the twisting hallways of Helios station. It was a short jaunt from the conference rooms to their destination; a room at the end of a seeming empty passageway. Maya shot him a look when she noticed the sudden lack of employees milling about, but he shook his head, pressing hand to the small of her back to usher her inside.

 

Handsome Jack closed the door once they were inside, glancing up as the automatic lights flickered to life above them. At first glance, it looked like a nondescript storage room, save for a panel on the wall alight with colored buttons and switches. Rather low-tech, but it served its purpose. The Siren turned toward him, her stoic manner failing to completely hide her natural curiosity.

 

“We gotta talk first, pumpkin.” Jack shoved a hand in his pocket, shifting his weight to his back leg. “Heavy subject. Serious stuff.”

 

“Are you going to tell me you want to revert our relationship back to the way it was?” Maya’s tone was a little biting.

 

“What- no! Don’t be so negative,” He shook his head. “Constant suspicion is an ugly thing, princess.”

 

She folded her arms loosely across her chest, “It was just a question.”

 

“God what kind of sad sting of partners- wait. This is not the time for this conversation. You’re throwing me off.” He rubbed a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

_Better to get through it quick._

 

“I have a daughter.” The words rolled out of his mouth in a monotone sound.

 

He watched the Siren’s face shift from neutral to something difficult to pinpoint. It was a mix of confusion and… _something_. Not that he would proclaim himself an expert on reading people, but that particular face on that particular person could not have been positive.

 

“ _Oh_ ,” was all that came from the woman.

 

“That’s… that’s it? Just ‘ _oh’?_ Well, damn, I expected a little more reaction. Got me all worked up for nothing.” He chuckled, going over to fiddle with the panel on the wall. “What do you think about it though?”

 

“Surprising.” Maya shrugged. “Mildly. I mean, you’re old enough to have a child.”

 

He shot her a look, “How old are we talking here?”

 

“Old _enough_.” She cleared her throat.

 

Jack huffed, “Well, it’s not like I advertise being a dad. Being the sexy bachelor that I am.”

 

“I wouldn’t know if you _did_ advertise it,” the Siren leaned against the wall next to him. “My basis for comparisons on fathers would be _skewed_.”

 

“Oh yeah, the whole _monk_ thing.” He leaned over and gave her a wolfish smile, “Did I ever tell you how glad I am that it wasn’t a celibate monastery?”

 

“ _Jack_ ,” There was a clear warning in her tone.

 

“I know, I know…” His hand dropped away from the panel, “Listen, before I get this meeting started, there’s something you should know about my little girl.”

 

Maya hummed in the back of her throat, “You sound nervous.”

 

“Just gimme a goddamn minute and you’ll see.” The words fell out of his mouth in a mumble, as he was unable to find a more tactful way to express himself. “It’s better if you see her firsthand.”

 

Handsome Jack slammed the panel with his fist, hearing the satisfying hum of electrical equipment powering up.

 

The technology alone was enough to stun Maya into an awed, uneasy silence. A series of intricate cameras quickly building up a detailed overlay that filled the whole room, even taking into account the space beneath her feet. Instead of a black storage room, it now appeared as though she were moving around a large, tubular space; all sorts of wires and control consoles running throughout.

 

A figure materialized in the center of the room; a young woman – smaller in build than herself – with dark hair and bright eyes that gave the impression she was looking at something a thousand yards away. She seemed shrouded in a violet glow that Maya assumed was a glitch in the hologram. The girl hovered several feet above the ground, faint wisps reminiscent of feathers surrounding her. However, it didn’t hide the very obvious – _familiar_ – tattoos running along the girl’s skin.

 

_Siren_.

 

“The real-time audio and video isn’t working yet, gimme a moment.” Handsome Jack pushed Maya toward the hologram projection.

 

Maya dug her heels into the floor, her gaze firmly set on what looked like large, purple threads connected to Angel’s form, “What are those tubes?”

 

Jack waved his hand dismissively, “Eridium. She needs it to-”

 

“ _Needs_?” She turned slowly toward him. “We don’t _need_ Eridium. It’s supplemental.”

 

“Well _you_ don’t- _which I’ve been meaning to find out about that_ \- but **she** does. It’s pumped into the cell and keeps her-” Jack was cut himself off mid-sentence as he found himself unable to move.

 

The Siren had him locked in place, her markings flashing bright as she kept her phaselock sustained, “ _You keep her in a cell? Like some caged animal_?”

 

Handsome Jack’s eyes widened, unable to shake his head, “ _Fuck me_ , okay… _cell_ was a poor choice of words. I admit it. But it’s not like it sounds, pumpkin.”

 

“How about how it _looks?”_ Maya compressed the area around him, making him squirm under the pressure, “You’re feeding her this addictive poison and keeping her in this… this _prison_? _Why_? Is… is there another one? Are you going to put me in a cage too? Like some _collection_?”

 

“It’s for her protection!” Jack shouted, “It channels her power away from her. She can’t control herself without it, when she was younger it was worse. She _hurt_ people.”

 

The power around him slackened, but only just, “Explain.”

 

Slowly, Jack started toward Maya, fighting through her power over him, “She can’t control her powers; she _never_ could. It helps her. _The eridium_ helps her. It focuses it on something that won’t hurt her or anyone else. _Safely._ ”

 

He could see the anguish on Maya’s face, through the façade of calm rage she projected with such vehemence. This was a delicate situation, and he started it off in the worst way he could.

 

That didn’t stop him from being offended that she would even _suggest_ he would purposefully harm his little girl.

 

“I would _never_ hurt my daughter. Not ever.” Jack’s hands itched to wrap around the Siren’s neck, if nothing else but to distract the anger inside of her. “Everything I’ve done is for _her._ To make her safe. To give her a place where no one would harm her, where she could go anywhere she wanted without being afraid of her own power.”

 

Maya turned toward the hologram, still hovering above them in silence. Her phaselock finally subsided, and Jack immediately grabbed her by the jaw, keeping her firmly in place while he spoke.

 

“I know you’re mad.” His jaw was set, each word hissed out in a clear warning. “I know _why_ you’re mad, I’m not a complete _idiot,_ and we will talk about it _later_. But I need you to ignore every little impulse in your brain that hates me and put on a pretty face for my daughter, got it?”

 

Defiance flashed in Maya’s eyes, but she nodded her consent.

 

“Talk to her, bluebird.” Jack walked back over to the panel, hit a few commands, and the Angel hologram started to move around naturally. “Siren to Siren.”

 

“ _Link successful, but that took a long time. Was something wrong?”_ Angel tilted her head curiously.

 

“Nah, just a kink in a wire probably.” Handsome Jack gestured to Maya, “Meet daddy’s friend, Angel-cake.”

 

Angel turned her attention toward Maya, giving a smile, “ _I’ve heard good things about you. It's not often dad talks about other people"  
_

 

The voice, as soft and gentle as it was, struck the older Siren as though she had been hit by a moving vehicle. She _knew_ that voice; heard it what seemed like ages ago when she first stepped on Pandoran soil. Freezing cold, blindly following the over-enthusiastic Claptrap through an endless mountain of ice and snow.

 

A voice carried over the ECHO device: soft and comforting.

 

**_“You’re alive for a reason… and I’m here to help you.”_ **


End file.
